20th Century Classical Music

Serialism: Serialists used every single note in chromatic scale (every single note in an octave). They were played in any random order, an they only use each one once before they could use it again,this was called their 'serial'. Then they played it backwards(inverted).They then played it in a retrograde order (opposite distance of semitones from notes on opposite side. Played on any octave but still same note.Very Confusing!)


This is a piece by Schoenberg, as you can hear the clashing sounds this is a product of using the chromatic scale because it contains all the flats as well and they all have to be used.

Electronic music: This type of music was introduced in the first half of the twentieth century.There were first electronic keyboards, they were massive instruments. The Moog synth was one of the first electronic instruments. It was the first time music could be recorded and manipulated

Stockhausen was a composer who used electronic instruments in his pieces. Some of his pieces are very peculiar, especially Gesang Der junglinge. This uses the voices of young children and synthesised noises to create his piece.

                                          



Atonal music: Arnold Schoenberg introduced atonal music. 
 Twelve tone technique; the technique is a means of ensuring that all twelve notes of the chromatic scale are sounded and used as often as one another in a piece of music while preventing any emphasis of any note via tone rows (the serial of the notes). All notes are given no more or less importance therefore ensuring the music avoids being in a key.

Aleatoric music: Aleatoricism is the creation of art by chance, basically randomness to create music. There are no rules at all!

This piece is aleatoric and basically just sounds like its been put together randomly, which it has!

This is a piece of Karlheinz Stockhausen's, I really find it hilarious because of the way it's played, to see the piece played  and how it sounds, it seems incredibly deranged!

Romantic period

The Romantic Period spans roughly from 1820 to the 1900's. There were many new and exciting developements in techniques and forms.

Dissonance: This is the use of un-harmonious notes to create a clashing sound resulting in tension.

Virtuoso: A virtuoso is somebody who is so experienced and well trained in their specific iinstrument that they are often the only person that can play their own music. For example, in the Romantic Period Liszt was a virtuoso pianist and composer, often the only person in his time who could play his piano pieces.

Programme music: Instrumental music that interprets a story, depicts a scene or painting, or illustrates a literary or philosophical idea. The term was first used by Franz Liszt in the 19th century, when programme music was especially popular with composers of Romantic music .

Tone poems: A tone poem or symphonic poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single  movement in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another non-musical source is illustrated. The term was first applied by composer Franz Liszt. The symphonic poem is in some ways related to opera; whilst it does not use a sung text, it seeks, like opera, a union of music and drama.

Muscial Examples

This is an example of a sonata:
1st Movement

2nd Movement

3rd Movement

An example of a classical composer is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Another composer is Franz Joseph Haydn.

 Another example is Schubert.

The Classical Orchestra

The classical orchestra is composed of many different sections or 'families'. 


-The woodwind family is composed of instruments that produce sound when the player blows air against a sharp edge or through a reed, causing the air within the resonator (usually a column of air) to vibrate. Most of these instruments are made of wood but can be made of other materials, such as metals or plastics.


- The brass family is composed of instruments made from brass,This family of instruments can play louder than any other in the orchestra. Brass instruments are essentially very long pipes that widen at their ends into a bell-like shape. The pipes have been curved and twisted into different shapes to make them easier to hold and play.


-In the Percussion family belongs any percussion instruments that  produce a sound when hit with an implement or when they're shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration. 


-Lastly is the viol family. This consists of violins, violas,cellos and basses.

Classical Period

The classical period was from 1750 to 1810.It followed the Baroque period. 


In the Classical period many new terms and techniques were created and perfected:




Diatonic music- The phrase diatonic means that the piece of music only uses all notes in the same key. This to ensure that there are no clashing sounds, this would be deemed 'unacceptable' in the classical period if there were clashing notes.


 Even phrases- Classical composers made sure all their phrases were balanced an equal. Phrases are measured in bars. They start and end where you would breathe if singing. They are regular chunks of equal lengths of music.  


Homophonic- The term homophonic means that when a melody line moves around the accompanying parts move with it.
As you can tell from the diagram, different parts move the same way, homo meaning 'same'.

The piano became the dominant Keyboard instrument of the era and is the most commonly used instrument in classical music. 


 Alberti bass: This was used in the classical period.It's played on the left hand of the piano, it's very steady and uses a broken chord. Then a melody is played over the top of the alberti bass part.


Concerto: A concerto is piece of music for a solo instrument and orchestra. The Orchestra accompanies the soloist. 


 Symphony:This is an extended musical piece split into movements. It's a Large orchestral piece. Classical composers had specific rules about their music. There were three movements in a symphony. The First mvt. was in Sonata form. The Second mvt. was written in a different contrasting key , it was slower and had a stronger melody line. The Third mvt. was livelier and more light hearted.It was in Rondo form.


 Sonata: A sonata was an instrumental composition, usually in three or more movements, for piano alone (piano sonata) or for any other instrument with or without piano accompaniment (violin sonata, cello sonata)

Baroque composers and Their Music

These are examples of a Baroque composers work:


This is one of my favourite pieces of Antonio Vivaldi. It's entitled 'Storm' and it really shows the essence of Baroque music because it has a lot of ornamentation.

This is a piece of Henry Purcells, another Baroque composer. This  piece is called Chaconne is G minor and in it you can hear the harpsichord which was the dominant instrument of the era.

Johann Sebastian Bach was another Baroque composer. This is my most favourite piece of his. It's well known but still beautiful.

(There are two versions because they both sound different and I like them both!!)










  

Baroque Terms

Continuo: This is the practise of Creating an accompaniment from a composed Bass part whilst then Improvising a harmony above them.The part played by a harpsichord. Bass and chord part.
Figured bass:This link is to a page that explains the figured bass really well!
 Concerto grosso: Grosso is the smaller group of instruments within the orchestra. For example in this video we see the two violinists and a cellist. They play a different part in the piece of music, but it still intertwines. 

Oratorio:An oratorio is like an opera - but less. There is singing and a storyline but not much else. No staging and no costuming.


How to tell an opera from an oratorio:

• Oratorios have sacred text - stories based on the religious books.
  "Oratorio" literally means "hall for prayer".
• Oratorios have more work for the chorus than operas.
  The chorus is the people who aren't a character and all sing together.
• Oratorios have a lot of recitative.
  Recitative is the part of operas that most people make fun of. Its where a person will sing-talk lines, usually on one note, and usually pretty rapidly. Its used to get text to the audience. 

 String quartet: A string quartet is the group of instruments that include : First and second violin, viola and cello. There is NO DOUBLE BASS!